Archive: Extreme Metal

Meshuggah’s latest album (released in March 2012) entitled Koloss comes with a fabulous symmetric 3D-cover artwork. I think I don’t have to introduce the mighty Meshuggah again (have a look at an earlier Symmetal post about Meshuggah: Symmetrah) but this new release is worth a new post. I know that Symmetal is all about the visuals but I have to say that I love the new record.

The artwork is named “Gateman” and was created by Luminokaya who spent nine months developing the piece. On Luminokaya’s website the following statement about his work can be found:

The inverted cross. One of Metal’s – especially Extreme Metal’s – most used icons next to the pentagram. Countless bands have used the inverted cross in their logos, artworks, tattoos, live shows or general art. Bands like Mayhem, Marduk, Belphegor, Deicide, Gorgoroth, Dark Funeral or Impaled Nazarene (to name just a few) have used this image in very different shapes in their communication for decades. This way a whole generation of metalheads grew up drawing inverted crosses on school desk, just like I did for years.

But if you look for the origin of the inverted cross you will come across a surprise. The inverted (or upside down) cross is the official sign of the highest representative of the catholic church: the pope. According to Roman Catholicism the pope is the direct successor of Saint Peter, the bishop of Rome and first pope.